Bucket for can-soldering machines.



PATENTED' FEB. 3, 1903.

W. R. GORRBLL.

BUCKET FOR .GAN SOLDERING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1902.

H0 MODEL.

mmmm 5 A? I V 6 flaw/77701, William RGarreZZ UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

WILLIAM R. GORRELL, OF HAVRE DE GRACE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OFTWO-TI-IIRDS TO R. HARRY WEBSTER AND STANLEY M. HANIVAY, OF

HAVRE DE GRACE, MARYLAND.

BUCKET FOR CAN-SOLDERING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,938, dated February3, 1903.

Application filed May 19. 1902. Serial No. 108,031. (No model.)

T at whmn it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM R. GoRRELL, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Havre de Grace, in the county of Harfordand State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bucketsfor Can-Soldering Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of theso-called buckets of that type of can-soldering machine in which anendless conveyer is employed to receive the can-bodies, with thecan-heads placed in position thereon, at one point of its travel,

I 5 to thereupon lead the can through the ordinary solder-trough, inwhich it is rotated to solder the can-bottom to the can-body, and

to then lead the can to a point at which-it is discharged from theconveyor. In such buckets as heretofore employed considerable difticultyhas been experienced in properly and automaticallycentering the canbetween the head and tail clamps of the bucket when the can is takeninto the bucket from the chute which carries the supply of unsolderedcans. Even when the can had been properly centered when it was initiallyreceived from the chute it was frequently 1 put out of center when itreached the soldertrough and was thrown in contact with the iron orguide with which such troughs are -usually supplied. This had theresult'that the seam of solder whichadheres to the canbody and soldersthe can-body to the canbottom was of varying width, and this in turnnecessitated an adjustment of the parts to give a greater average widthof solder on the can-body than would otherwise be required in. order toinsure that every point 40 around the circumference of the can-bottomwould receive some solder, and thus avoid a leak, which would ruin thecan. Such greater average width of the soldered seam than is requiredfor the purposes of producing a hermetic joint at all points results inuseless waste of solder, which my invention saves. Besides, the bucketsas heretofore constructed had a tendency to discharge the soldered canstherefrom in a tilted or canted position. This resulted in congestingthe discharge-runway and interfered with the continuity of operation. Mybucket is free froni'this defect.

In accordance with my invention 1 provide the bucket with the usualrotary taildisk, the diameter of which must be smaller than that of thecan in order to permit the edge of the can to project beyond thecircumference of the disk; but instead of using a rotary head-disk ofthe usual construction I provide this disk with automatic centeringdevices, preferably in the form of a series of hinged centering-jawswhich are actuated by the can when in position and which are thrown outof action when the pressure of the head and tail disks is removed topermit the can to freely drop from the bucket into the discharge-runwayof the soldering-machine. In this manner the can is automatically andaccurately centered when it is first received in the bucket, it remainsfirmly gripped and centered during the soldering operation, thuspermitting a closer adjustment of parts to produce a narrower and yetefficient soldered seam, and the can drops straight and free from thebucket into the appropriate discharge-runway when the operation ofsoldering is complete.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improvedbucket. Fig. 2 shows an end elevation of the head-disk. Fig.

3 shows a cross-section of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail of thecentering-dog, and Fig. 5 shows the end of the chute containing theunsoldered cans.

The bucket frame A is supplied with any suitable devices a for securingit to the endless conveyer of the soldering-machine and has rigidlysecured thereto the standards a a and a. The tail-disk B is secured tothe shaft b, which is journaled in the standard a in any suitablemanner, which shaft 12 carries a cog-wheel b for engagement with thecustomary stationary rack of the soldering-machine to rotate the canwhenin the solder- 5 trough F.

The head-disk O is carried on a shaft 0, which is journaled in a slidingmanner in the standards a a The shaft is supplied with a cog-wheel csimilarin construction and operation to the cog-wheel b.

Rigidly secured to the shaft cis a collar 0 between which and thestandard a is placed a helical spring 0 for the purpose of normallypressing the head-disk toward the tail-disk to clamp the can in positionbetween the two disks. The end of the lever D is pivoted to the collar 0This lever is hinged at d to the bucket-frame and carries a roller (1 atthe end removed from the pivot. It will be clear to any one familiarwith this class of machines that in the movement of the bucket as a partof the endless conveyer to which it is attached a stationary deflectoron the machine-frame pushes against the roller d to tension the spring 0and to move the head-disk away from the tail-disk. This occurs twice ina single revolution of the conveyer-once when the can is to be receivedin the bucket and again when it is to be discharged therefrom. Thebucket-frame also carries a series of curved fingers E, which cooperatewith the fingers E of the can-chute in a manner which will be readilyunderstood. An unsoldered can lying on the fingers E, the machine is soarranged that the motion of the endless conveyer brings the fingers E upfrom below to pass between the fingers E to remove the can therefrom.The can then lies on the fingers E with the head-disk drawn back. Thefingers E are below the can. Thereupon the roller d passes off thedeflector with which it cooperates and the head-disk, impelled by thespring 0 flies into place to clamp the can. The conveyor is so arrangedthat when it has moved around to bring the can in juxtaposition to thesoldering-trough the fingers E will be above the can, so as not tointerfere with the soldering operation. This same position of parts ismaintained after the can has left the soldering-trough and is to bedischarged from the bucket.

I come now to the description of the parts in which my invention moreparticularly resides. The head-disk O is supplied with radial slots, asshown, in which are journaled the centering-dogs 15. The journals forthese dogs are shown at 16. Each dog has a centering-shoulder 18 toengage and center the sides of the can, a lug l9, and a tailpiece 20 tolimit the outward movement of the dog.

A leaf-spring 21 is provided for each dog and is fixed at one end to thedisk and moves at its other end in a slot in the lug 19. It thusnormally serves to force the dog to the retracted position shown in fulllines in Fig. 3. In this position of the dog the tailpiece 20 contactswith the outer face of the disk 0 and limits the rearward movement ofthe dog under the action of the spring. The springs 21 are preferablycountersunk, as shown, to 0bviate any liability of the head of theclamped can from coming into contact therewith.

The operation will now be clear. Assuming an unsoldered can with itsaxis horizontal to lie on the fingers E with the head-disk withdrawn,the lever D permits the spring 0 to force the head-disk toward the can.The canhead contacting with the lugs 19 the dogs 15 are tilted againstthe tension of the springs 21 to throw the centering-shoulders 18 intoengagement with the sides of the can. The can is thus automaticallycentered and clamped against the tail-disk. The axis of the can by themotion of the endless carrier having now been tilted into an inclinedposition it passes through and is rotated in the solder-trough. Havingpassed through the solder-trough, the motion of the endless carrierbrings the fingers E above the can and again tilts the axis of the canback into a horizontal position. The lever D thereupon retracts thehead-disk against the tension of the spring 0 The springs 21 thereuponimmediately act to tilt the dogs 15 to withdraw the centering-shoulders18 and to project the lugs 19 against the can-head. The can is thereforefree to drop without obstruction and consequent tilt into its properchute.

It is now clear that my bucket is mounted on the carrier in such amanner that its frame is what 1 term axially tilting, meaning that theaxis of the bucket is at one time horizontal and at another time tiltedto the horizontal.

It is clear that a movable collar on the shaft 0, acting against thetailpieces 20, would have the same effect as the springs 21. It isequally clear that I am not limited to the specific construction of theparts shown, but may vary them without departing from the spirit of theinvention as embodied in the claims.

What I claim is- 1. A bucket for can-soldering machines comprisingrotary head and tail disks normally pressed toward each other to clamp acan between them and automatically-movable can-centering devices mountedon the headdisk, substantially as described.

2. A bucket for can-soldering machines comprising rotary head and taildisks normally pressed toward each other to clamp a can between them andautomatic centeringdogs pivoted on the head-disk to center the can,substantially as described.

3. A bucket for can-soldering machines comprising rotary head and taildisks normally pressed toward each other to clamp a can between them andspring-pressed centering-dogs pivoted on the head-disk to center thecan, substantially as described.

4. A bucket for can-soldering machines comprising rotary head and taildisks normally pressed toward each other to clamp a can between them andcan-actuated centering devices mounted on the head-disk, substantiallyas described.

5. A bucket for can-soldering machines comprising rotary head and taildisks normally pressed toward each other to clamp a can between them andcan-actuated centering-dogs pivoted on the head-disk, substantially asdescribed.

6. A bucket for can-soldering machines comprising rotary head and taildisks normally pressed toward each other to clamp a can between them anddogs, each comprising a centering-shoulder, pivoted to the headdisk,substantially as described.

7. A bucket for can-soldering machines comprising rotary head and taildisks normally pressed toward each other to clamp a can between them anddogs, each comprising a centering-shoulder and a can-actuated lug,pivoted to the head-disk to center the can by its pressure against thelugs, substantially as described.

8. A bucket for can-soldering machines comprising rotary head and taildisks normally pressed toward each other to clamp a can between them anddogs, each comprising a centering-shoulder, can-actuated lug andtailpiece, pivoted to the head-disk, substantially as described.

9. A bucket for can-soldering machines comprising an axiallytiltingframe, rotary head and tail disks normally pressed against each other toclamp a can between them, and automatically-movable can-centeringdevices mounted on the head-disk, substantially as described.

10. A bucket for can-soldering machines comprising an axiallytiltingframe, rotary

